Guwahati: The ASEAN–India Tourism Professionals Exchange Programme 2025 commenced in Guwahati with two days of intensive interactions between tourism professionals from India and ten ASEAN Member States, marking a significant step towards strengthening regional tourism cooperation. Organised by the Assam Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (ATDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, the programme is being held from December 12 to 17 across Guwahati, Kaziranga and New Delhi.
The exchange aims to integrate the North East more closely into ASEAN travel circuits through structured business meetings, trade sessions and collaborative engagement among tour operators, policymakers and industry associations. It builds on the momentum generated at the MATTA Fair 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, where ATDC promoted Assam and the North East as emerging destinations during the ASEAN–India Year of Tourism.
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A total of 41 delegates from ASEAN countries—Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam—are participating, alongside representatives from Indian tourism bodies. The first day featured a Brahmaputra sunset cruise highlighting Assam’s river-based and community tourism, while December 13 saw the formal inauguration at Hotel Mayfair, Guwahati, followed by B2B meetings and a cultural evening showcasing Assamese music, dance and cuisine.
Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, said the programme reinforces tourism as a tool for regional cooperation and people-to-people ties. Assam Tourism Minister Ranjeet Kumar Das highlighted the state’s push towards globally connected, community-driven tourism, while ATDC Managing Director Kumar Padmapani Bora described the exchange as a step towards converting cultural linkages into sustained tourism partnerships.
Delegates will visit Kaziranga National Park and tea gardens to experience conservation-based tourism, with discussions also focusing on connectivity, infrastructure and joint marketing. The Guwahati sessions have set the stage for further engagements in Kaziranga and New Delhi, aimed at fostering long-term ASEAN–North East tourism collaboration.
